Overview

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (also known as Free Kashmir ) is the southernmost political entity within the Pakistani-administered part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. Christopher Snedden offers a rare history of the territory's largely forgotten people and the conflict that continues to define their status within the nation. He contends that in October 1947, pro-Pakistan Muslims in southwestern Jammu and Kashmir initiated the Kashmir dispute, not Pashtun tribesmen invading from Pakistan, which is India's official narrative. Later named Azad Kashmiris, these people, Snedden argues, are legitimate stakeholders in this conflict and have very much inherited its legacy. Snedden critically reexamines Azad Kashmir's administrative structures, economic and political systems, and subordinate relationship with Pakistan, particularly in the years following the Kashmir dispute. Azad Kashmiris believed their administration was the only legitimate government in the region, and they expected to rule Jammu and Kashmir after its reunification by the United Nations. However, contrary to expectations, Azad Kashmir effectively, if not legally, became a (dependent) part of Pakistan. Long disenchanted with Islamabad, some Azad Kashmiris now favor independence for Jammu and Kashmir and hope to prosper without help from their neighbors. In his conclusion, Snedden assesses different ways to resolve Azad Kashmir's international status and the outstanding claims of the Kashmir dispute.

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9780231702508

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Reviews

This book highlights an important facet of developments in Jammu and Kashmir prior to its accession to India and fills the vacuum in scholarship on politics in 'Azad Kashmir.' A valuable resource for academics and policy makers alike. -- Smruti S. Pattanaik, South Asia Specialist at Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses, Delhi In an incisive analysis of the tangled political developments in Azad Kashmir -- this hastily constructed and ethnically diverse semi-state -- Christopher Snedden throws new light on a relatively remote but nevertheless increasingly strategically significant component of the sub-continent's political jigsaw. -- Roger Ballard, Centre for Applied South Asian Studies With his profound expertise in and concern for Kashmir, Christopher Snedden succeeds splendidly in his task of giving voice to an untold story. This is the most authoritative modern history of one of South Asia's most sensitive yet overlooked regions. It is meticulously researched and clearly written, and the account of the origins of the Kashmir conflict, while certainly controversial, demands attention. -- Andrew Whitehead, former BBC South Asia correspondent and author of A Mission in Kashmir The majority of scholarship on Jammu and Kashmir in the last six decades has remained unidimensional, thus ignoring the complex political dynamics rooted in the multi-ethnic, linguistic and religious landscape of Jammu and Kashmir. Christopher Snedden's work is in line with a new wave of scholarship on the region that helps policy makers and general readers know and understand key aspects of one of the most complex political puzzles of South Asia from a more holistic perspective. -- Luv Puri, author of Across the Line of Control: Inside Pakistan-Administered Kashmir

The majority of scholarship on Jammu and Kashmir in the last six-decades has remained unidimensional, thus ignoring the complex political dynamics rooted in the multi ethnic, linguistic and religious landscape of Jammu and Kashmir. Snedden's work is in line with a new wave of scholarship on the region which helps the policy makers and a general reader to know and understand some key aspects of one of the most complex political puzzles of South Asia from a more holistic perspective. -- Luv Puri, author of Across the Line of Control: Inside Azad Kashmir

Author Information

Christopher Snedden is an Australian politico-strategic analyst, author, and academic specializing in South Asia. His consultancy, Asia Calling, works with governments, businesses, and universities. He frequently visits Jammu and Kashmir to conduct research and has interviewed many elder statesmen involved in the Kashmir dispute.

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